Different
by Pricat
Summary: Shrek and Fiona give birth to a boy and a girl. Can they face the challenge of parent hood?
1. Birth and the start of a family

Different.

By Pricat.

It was a normal day at the swamp but Fiona was very cranky and moody. She was pregnant and was expecting twins. Shrek was a little shocked by this. To him kids were the worst thing an ogre can have besides getting bugged by villagers day and night. Donkey and his family weren't helping things either. Only Donkey was getting freaked by Fiona's constant mood swings. "When's Fiona giving birth to your kids?" he asked curiously. "I don't honestly know. But honestly I don't want her to give birth to kids. They're worse than anything!" he told him angrily.

He didn't know that Fiona had over heard this. She was upset by this but hid it underneath her mask of hormones. Later that night she was in bed and still awake. Shrek was sound asleep and snoring. She then felt something break inside of her. It was time! "Honey wake up! The kids are on their way! We're going to be parents!" she told him as she shook him awake. Fear and nerves were running through his body at this. "Oh great! Our lives are gonna be more crazy now the kids are going to be born!" Shrek said sarcastically. They then got into the onion carriage and headed for the hospital. When they got there, Fiona was taken into the delivery suite. It took twenty three hpurs but at dawn or 3 in the morning, the babies were born. "Congratualations you have a healthy set of Ogrese twins!" the doctor told her. Shrek then walked out of the room. Donkey showed up with some of his kids. "What're you doing here?" he asked irritated. "We came to see your babies! You must be so excited!" he ranted. Shrek was wearing a medical gown/scrubs, a surgical mask and rubber gloves. It was hard for Donkey not to laugh at this. Fiona was in bed. She had two ogre babies in her arms. She was very tired and was asleep. The babies were gurgling away and touching her.

The boy looked like Shrek with his brown eyes, red curl on his head, little pudgy arms, a small chest, tiny legs. He and his sister both had the trumpet shaped ears like their parents. The girl had Fiona's blue eyes, her smile, slender chest, arms, legs but pudgy hands. Fiona smiled as they tugged on her ears gently. Donkey then walked in. He wondered what was wrong with Shrek. It was like he didn't want to know his own kids or something. "Hey Fi! How you feeling?" he asked happily. "Tired but fine. Have you seen Shrek? I want him to see our children." She told him. "Yeah I have. He walked out of the hospital. He seemed a little unhappy. I don't see what his problem was asbout this." He said to her. She understood and shook her head. "Can I ask you something?" she asked him. "Sure! Anything for you! What do you want me to do?" he asked her. "I need you to talk to Shrek for me. I don't think he's thrilled about having kids. Why don't you tell him about when your kids were born? Maybe he'll soften up after this." She told him quietly. "Okay but why can't you do it? He doesn't listen to me even in a good mood." He told her. He then went to find him. Meanwhile Shrek was at the Poison Apple Pub sucking down rum shots. He was very depressed. Donkey then saw him fall onto the floor drunk. He ran over to his side.

His clothes reeked of beer and rum shots. "Are you okay? You must be really upset over having a family if you came here and drank that much beer." He said as he helped him up but he fell down again. Donkey then dragged him by the shirt all the way back to the swamp. He hoped Fiona hadn't brought the kids home yet. He didn't want to see Fiona mad or the babies try to get near their Daddy because he'd gotten drunk. A while later and several trips to the out house, Shrek was back to nnormal except for having a mega head ache. "Hey Donkey. What's up?" he asked him slurred. "You got seriously drunk and I sdort of brought you here. Can I ask you something?" he told him quietly. "Sure." He told him. "How come you're mad at Fiona for having kids? Don't you want to start a family?" he said. He then ducked under the table waiting for him to explode with anger. But it didn't happen. "I'll tell you but you can't tell anyone else, okay?" he told him. "Cool! What is it?" he asked. "The reason I don't want kids is because… I don't want to abandon them in a forest and have them grow up alone and never trusting anyone. Donkey I… was abandoned as a kid no younger than your lot. My parents were bad ogres but when I was hatched, I was born with a good heart inside of me but that wasn't good enough for them. They tried to get it out of me but it couldn't be removed. One day, I was left alone in the forest, all alone. I thought they'd come back but they never did. After that, I developed my emotional wall so the hurt couldn't scar me but now having kids is making it come back and I'm… afraid for them and me. Think about it. How can I be a good father when my own one left me to start my life on my own. It's pretty scary." He told him. There were tears forming in his brown eyes. Donkey was astonished by this. "Don't worry man! I was like that when my kids were born but don't worry. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. I won't tell anyone but maybe Fiona."he said. Shrek then thought about this and walked out of the swamp.

He then headed to the hospital. Self doubt was raging in his heart like thunder but he had to do this, no matter what.


	2. Facing the fear

Different part two.

Fiona was asleep in the ward. She was unaware of her husband running down to her ward. But in another ward , Charming's wife Doris had given birth to a baby boy. He looked like a cross between him and Doris. But their son wasn't like his father. He was more wilder. Fiona awaoke to see Shrek beside the bed. She was surprised to see him there. He had sun flowers with him.

"I've been doing some thinking about this and I've decided as crazy as it seems to have a family. I hope that I can be a better father than my father." He told her quietly. She smiled at him but she saw a look of sadness on his face at this. He then held the babies in his strong arms. "They're beautiful just like their parents! What should we name them?" he said to her. She then saw the babies tug at their father's ears and laughed gently. He left a few hours later. Donkey then came in. He then came over to her. "I've got to tell you something important about your husband! I know why he was angry at having kids!" he jabbered on hyped up. "Okay tell me but keep calm!" she told him sleepily. "He didn't want them because he was abandoned by his parents as a kid! They were bad ogres but when he was born, he had a good heart and they couldn't bear the scorn so they just left him in the forest. That's why he always wants to be alone before he met us!" he said to her. Fiona woke at a start at this. "How could they do that? I hope they were caught by hunters and slayed!" she said angrily.

She now realised what was wrong with her True Love earlier when he was playing with their kids. Meanwhile Shrek was drinking some beer to make the pain of the last twenty five years go away but they wouldn't unless he confronted them but there was only way to do it. It was a little thing called Therapy. Only he was worried about it. But it was the only thing that could free his tortured soul from those painful memories. He then went into Far, Far Away. There were lots of human therapists but very few ogrese ones. He then found one that was open but went in. He didn't know a stranger in a cloak was following him. Charming had seen him go into the therapy place and laughed evilly. "So he's finally lost it eh? I can't wait to rub this in Fiona's face, that her brave husband needs therapy!"he told himself as he walked towards the hospital. He laughed as he approached Fiona's bed. "Ugly but fair inside maiden, Thou knowest where thy precious husband is?" he asked in amocking voice. She awoke at this. She growled at the sight of this. "What do you want?" she asked angrily. "Nothing but just this.

Something's wrong with your husband and he went into therapy! Aren't you ashamed?" he told her joyfully. "No I'm not. He's not insane just because he went to therapy! At least I'm proud to admit it! Leave him alone about this We've got enough on our plate without you messing up our lives." She yelled at him. He backed away from her. Meanwhile Shrek was sitting on a therapist's couch talking to some one like him.

The next day Fiona brought the babies home to the swamp. She was worried about this in case hunters came knocking at their door. But Shrek had reassured her about this. A few years later the babies were raging, hyper but moody ogre toddlers. In a fdew days they would be starting school and this flooded Fiona with more worry. She knew that human kids and other kids would be in their class but they were mainly worried about the human ones reaction to their kids.

Donkey's kids were in the same class as Brianna and Thornas so at least they'd have someone to play with if the other kids were being racist. But Charming's son Michealis was in the same class as them too. Only that night both parents were restless and filled with worry so they couldn't sleep. They hoped that their kids would be strong and brave enough to enjoy school but fear was like having the plague.


	3. School!

Different part three 

It was sunrise and Shrek and Fiona were worried. Today their kids would be starting school and they were just a little worried. Brianna and Thornas were eating mud pancakes with extra mud on them. "Do you think we'll make friends there with the other kids?" Thornas asked his father. Fiona wastaken aback by this. She and Shrek looked at each other nervously at this. "Sure but they can't be human!" Shrek yelled from the out house. Brianna was confused by her father's answer. Fiona rolled her eyes at this.

"Daddy didn't mean what he said a second ago. It's just…" she said gently to them. "Just what Mommy?" Thornas asked curiously. There was a look of sadness on her face at this. But she had to explain this to them in simple terms so they wouldn't have any confusion when they got to school. "It's just some kids in your class might be mean to you just because you're ogrelings. But if that happens… don't fight back or cause trouble because that just gives them more reason to be mean and nasty." She told them sadly. Thornas then saw tears in her eyes at this. "What's wrong?" he asked gently. "It's nothing honey. It's just that brought back bad memories of when I was your age." She said as she walked out of the kitchen area. Shrek was in the out house shaving. He'd heard what Fiona had told their kids. He hadn't meant to say that a few seconds ago. He then saw Fiona sitting in the carriage. She looked upset. He then put on his clothes and walked out of the out house. The kids were playing with a ball in the house without the parents knowing and wrecking the entire kitchen. A while later the couple came back into the house and found the kids wrecking the entire house. Fiona saw the look on Shrek's face. It looked like he was going to explode like a thousand thunderstorms. "AAGH! YOU GUYS WRECKED THE HOUSE! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO BUILD THIS HOUSE WITH MY BARE TWO HANDS!"he yelled angrily. The kids then ran out of the house frightened. They'd never heard their father yell that loud. Fiona was a little bit shocked but saw smoke coming out of her husband's ears. "Honey calm down! It was just an accident! Besides they were just playing. They're only kids. They'll probably grow out of it." She said calmly putting a hand on his rotund arm. He then took a few deep breaths. "I guess but this house is full of emotional value and they wrecked it! Plus I haven't had any sleep since they were born with their constant crying all night and stuff. Maybe it was a mistake having kids." He said calmly once his temper was under control once more. Fiona gasped at this. "You don't really mean it, do you?" she told him. He looked at her with a heavy heart as she walked out the door and got into the onion carriage to take the kids to school.

There were tears in her eyes as she got out of the carriage with Brianna and Thornas. "What's wrong Mommy?" they asked worriedly as she walked with them into the school. But Charming was there as well leaving his son off. "Great! I have to see him every day when I take them to school! He's a prissy jerk for all he did and tried to do to my marriage! " she thought as the kids went into their class room. Charming sneered at her angrily. "This has nothing to do with you! I'm just dropping my kids off. It's not against the law to do that!" she snapped at him angrily. "Actually it is a crime… leaving your hideous brats in there with human kids and those ghastly hybrids! They're going to ruin everything. But if you had married me, our kids would be perfect and not freaks of nature." He said coldly. Anger then grew in Fiona's heart at this. Dissing her and Shrek was fine but doing it to their kids when they'd done nothing at all was wrong, so wrong. She then punched him hard in the nose. It began to bleed. Charming then cried and ran off. Michealis was watching that. He was so embarrassed that his father was a geek. He liked Brianna and Thornas's Mom. "Maybe we could be friends! But they probably got told not by their parents because of my Daddy!" he thought as he and the other kids were playing outside. Brianna and Thornas were playing with Marco and Chenna. They were Donkey and Dragon's youngest kids. They were playing ball.

Michealis then saw a human kid come over to them and take their ball. "Hey that's ours! We were playing with it!" Brianna yelled at him. Michealis saw the kid make a mean face at her and was angry. He then roared at him as he ran over to the kid and pushed him over onto the ground. Thornas laughed as the kid fell into the bush of sharp thorns. The kid ran off screaming. Michealis then gave the ball back to them. "Thanks! What you did was cool!" Thornas said to him. "You're welcome! My name's Michealis but I don't like it! It's a lame name my geeky father picked out for me." He told them. The kids then laughed at this. "Yeah it's a pretty silly name! Let's be friends!" Marco said to them. "Yeah that's an awesome idea! You're practically the only human kid who wants to be friends with us!" Brianna said to him.

They then started playing Tag. Brianna and Thornas were pretty happy that Michealis was their friend. The other kids had freaked out and hid in other places except for Michealis when they came. Fiona was secretly watching this and smiled. She didn't approve of Michealis's father but she approved of Michealis's being with them. For some reason, he wasn't like his father and that was good. Shrek was a little bit unhappy about this but when he saw how they were happy being together, he changed his mind.

But as they were getting ready for nap time, some human kids cornered Brianna and Thornas. They were the hunter's kids and were sharing the same view as their parents. Michealis watched as they hit them hard. Tears were running down their faces. "We don't want you or your friends in our class! Just go back to where ever you came from. " they said meanly as they ran off laughing. Michealis then came over to them. He was sad that they were getting picked on by the local hunter group's kids. "I can't believe they did that to you guys!" he told them as he dried their eyes. "But they're right! We shouldn't come back if this is all we're going to get." Brianna said sadly, tears welling up in her blue eyes. "They're wrong! You've gotta stay! You're too cool to leave. Besides they're jerks anyway like my Daddy and their parents. My Daddy's always mean to people like you but I like them. They're just jealous because you can do cool things like belch fire and have smoke come out of your ears and get to eat neat stuff like rats and herbs! I also like your skin! The colour rocks! Anyone who says stuff like that just doesn't want to get to know you and I already like you guys because of your inner coolness." He said to them. Suddenly there were smiles on their faces at this. "You really think so?" Thornas asked worriedly "Yep I do! I also like your Mom." He said to them. They then perked up. "Thanks! You're a good friend Michealis." They said as they fell asleep.


	4. A terrible accident and the down fall of

Different part four.

Charming was angry but not at his son. He was angry at Shrek and Fiona for having kids. The fury of not being ruler still burned within him. He'd told Michealis he wasn't allowed to play with Brianna and Thornas but he ignored his father and kept playing with his friends. But Charming snuck out of the house and went into the swamp. He saw the onion carriage and smiled evilly.

He then went over and messed with the wheels. He laughed as he left. "This should teach them to fear me!" he told himself. He was unaware of the damage this would cause. He hadn't told Michealis of his plans because he'd warn them and wreck the fun. The next morning Shrek and Fiona were in the carriage with their kids on the way to school. Suddenly the carriage was swerving out of control. "What's going on with this thing?" Fiona asked angrily. Suddenly the carriage crashed into another. Fiona and the kids were unhurt but their father was lying on the ground. He was moaning in pain. This worried Fiona. "Don't worry. Daddies going to be okay! He's just a little sore after what happened." She said calmly to Brianna and Thornas. The police then showed up. They watched as they took Shrek on a stretcher

Fiona then took a look at the wrecked carriage and gasped. "Someone messed with the wheels! That's why it was out of control! Charming must've done it!" she thought as she dropped the kids at school. They were pretty sad. They were also worried for their father. Michealis wondered what was wrong. "Our Daddy got hurt because the carriage got wrecked on the way here! Our Mom's pretty unhappy as well!" they explained. He felt sorry for them. "I'm sorry about that. Maybe he'll get better. I think my Daddy got hunters to do it. I saw him on the way home yesterday talking to hunters. I'm really angry with him and so is my Mom. She said he needs to get his act straight!" he said as they sat on the floor.

Meanwhile Fiona was at the hospital. Her True Love was in a bed out cold and in a body cast. There were scars on his face from it. Tears ran down her face as he took his left hand. "I'm… so sorry this happened to you. The kids are pretty sad about it. I think Charming did because our kids are friends and he wants to wreck it." She said gently. Anger was rushing through her body at this. But her husband was comatose at the minute. His mental self was back in the forest he'd been abandoned in as a kid. This scared him. "What am I doing here?" he asked confused. He didn't remember what had happened earlier today. Fear was running through him. Meanwhile Fiona went to pick up the kids when Charming showed up to get Michealis. There was laughter in his throat as he looked at her. "Did anything interesting happen to you lately? " he sneered coldly. "I KNEW IT WAS YOU! BECAUSE OF YOUR HATRED TOWARDS US, MY HUSBAND'S IN HOSPITAL FIGHTING FOR HIS LIFE!"she yelled angrily. She then beat him up pretty bad. Michealis laughed at this. Charming then stormed off with him. Brianna and Thornas ran into her arms. They were still upset about earlier. She didn't blame them. Suddenly she heard Shrek sobbing in her mind's ear. "Where's that coming from?" she asked herself as she walked home with the kids. She shook it off. When she got home, she went to bed and cried herself to sleep. Donkey could tell something was wrong with them. Fiona then told him what had happened. He was shocked but angry at Charming. "How dare he do something like that! How're the kids taking it?" he said to her calmly. "They're taking it pretty worse than me. He's been comatose since I visited earlier. I'm also scared because of this." She told him. Tears matted her hair. "Why don't you have a shower or a nice bath? That might help you relax." He said to her. She smiled sadly at him. "Thanks!" she told him as she walked out of the bed room.

She then went into the bath and relaxed. She closed her eyes and sighed sadly. Memories flooded through her mind and this made her sadder. The kids were in their room asleep. They were sadder than their mother and refused to play or eat anything. This worried their teacher at school but mainly Michealis, Marco and Chenna. They wondered if there was anything they could do to make their friends smile again but didn't know what to do.

Both his wife and son on the other hand were ignoring charming. "I can't believe they're not talking to me because what I did was for their own good." He thought as he walked out of his house. Doris wouldn't make him anything to eat and his son yelled at him. She was at work in the Poison Apple Pub. She then saw Puss come in for a stiff drink. "It's okay Doris. I'm not mad at you or your son. It's that burro Charming who should be made to pay for his crime! The boss and Fiona weren't harming anyone and Charming has to go and do that! It makes me sick!" he said angrily to her. She agreed.

Michealis was with her. He liked Puss as well. He was angry at his Dad for hurting his friend's Daddy just because he didn't look human. Doris had came to a decision. She was leaving Charming. She couldn't stay with a maniac like him. She could imagine his face if she told him this. But she made up her mind and nothing was going to change it.

Fiona was in the bedroom in the swamp. She didn't feel like getting up. She just stayed asleep, lost in peaceful dreams. But she saw an image of her husband running from something. "Help me Fi! Please!" he yelled in fear. Charming then appeared from out of nowhere. But then everything went dark. "NO!"she screamed as she woke up crying. It was just a terrible dream. She hoped her husband would heal quickly. He had to. Their family depended on it and it would forever break their hearts if he was gone. She then transported herself to Far,Far Away to see her mother. She needed advice.


	5. Brave recovery and an angel

Different part five.

Queen Lillian was surprised to see her daughter standing outside the palace. She could tell something was wrong but wasn't sure what. She saw sadness on her face as they had some tea. "What's the matter? You seem really sad. Is there anything we can do to help?" her father King Harold asked nervously. Fiona pushed the full cup of tea away from her. "It's Shrek. We were in a carriage accident but the kids and I aren't hurt but he was pretty bad. He's in hospital right now fighting for his life in comatose state.

Charming tampered with the wheels and caused it to happen. The kids are taking this worse than I am and I don't know what to do!" she explained sadly. Both Lillian and Harold were shocked by this. They couldn't believe Charming would stoop so low by doing this. Fury raged through Harold's slimy body. "Don't worry honey. We'll deal with Charming! I can't believe he'd do something terrible like that. He's just as bad as his mother!" he yelled angrily. Meanwhile Charming was wandering in the forest. Doris had made him leave the family forever. Shrek then heard two people scream in pain. It was his parents. They'd been caught by the local hunters and were put in a wagon. He felt relief at this. They were getting what the two of them deserved after leaving him alone. "Someone help us!" they begged as the wagon drove away. He then heard a voice. It was Fiona's. She was calling him back to the realm of the living with her sweet call-her song. He then was surrounded by darkness.

The next thing he knew, he was awake in the hospital bed but still very weakened. "Don't cry Fi… I'm here!" he said faintly as his eyes opened slowly. This filled her with relief. "I'm so glad you're awake! How're you feeling?" she said to him as she kissed him on the lips. "Sore, so very sore and thirsty." He told her raspily. She was so happy he'd woken up from the coma. "What's going to happen to Charming?" he asked gently. "My parents are dealing with that issue. I can't wait to tell the kids this! After what happened, they've been depressed but maybe this will help." She told him.

He smiled. But Charming was being followed by something. It was Puss. He was angry at Charming for what he'd done. Anger blazed in those cute green eyes of his and his sword was sharper than ever before. Doris had agreed to this but no slaying him. He then watched as Charming tried to fall asleep but couldn't. "Hello senor! Are you feeling guilt yet for what you've done to my friend and his family?" he said menacingly. "Shut up about that! You're not the boss of what I do!" he yelled angrily. He lunged at Puss but failed. The skilled cat dodged out of his way. He then scrabbed his arm. "I'm not going to do anything to you but think about this. My boss isn't the monster here, it's you! You've always hated them just because you didn't get your way. But right now his family is hurting and it's your fault!" he snarled as he left. He hoped Charming's conscience would explain this clearer to him.

He then went to the swamp. The kids and Fiona were outside by a fire tracing the stars in the night sky. "Hey guys! How's things?" he asked curiously. "Puss he woke up!" Fiona told him. This excited him. The kids seemed happy so it must be true. "What did you do to Michealis's dad?" Brianna asked curiously a grin on her small face. "I just talked to him and let his conscience do the rest!" he told her. Fiona smiled evilly at this. "That's good! I hope he realises what he's done." She told him. He then left. Charming was having second thoughts about what he'd done. Suddenly something appeared.

It was an Ogrese angel. She looked like Fiona. "Who're you?" he asked in fear. "I'm your conscience. I'm here to help you realise a few things." She said as she held out a warm pudgy hand. "Come with me. I won't hurt you, I promise!" she said gently to him. He reluctantly took her hand and they vanished in a flash of light.


	6. Evil parents reborn and betrayal

Different part six 

Charming was very afraid. This angel had shown up for some unknown reason and had taken him somewhere. What did she want? Fear ran through his body as they flew through the night air. They landed at Shrek and Fiona's swamp. "What're we doing here?" he asked her spitefully. "You'll see!" she said quietly. They were invisible to the human and ogre eye at the minute. He saw Fiona sitting alone in the bedroom. There was a sad look on her face. The kids were asleep.

Charming felt a chill run up his spine at this. The angel felt it from his body. "What… happened here? That Fiona's looking like that for? It's like something really bad happened here!" he asked her. Her brown golden eyes had a deep look of sadness and regret in them. "Something did happen… to her husband. It was to do with a carriage accident. Some human rigged the wheels so that it would go out of control. Fiona and the kids survived unharmed but… he didn't make it! Things haven't been the same here since it happened." She told him, lips quivering. She shot a glance at him. She saw a small tear form in his eyes but disappeared. "Come! There is more to see!" she said to him holding out her hand. As they flew through the air once more, Charming's mind was very disturbed by what she'd told him. He also couldn't get Fiona's sad face out of his mind.

Meanwhile Fiona was at the hospital visiting Shrek. She wondered what Puss had done because Charming hadn't caused any further damage to them lately. "Don't worry. I'm sure he probably got banished from both kingdoms because of what happened. " he told her gently. He then stroked her face. He hoped that nothing would stop him from being with those he cared about in the future. But later Charming was standing on a high mountain top. He'd been left there for eternity to think on his crimes. Suddenly in the swamp the angel appeared to Fiona. She was a little startled but calmed down. "Who're you?" she asked curiously. The young girl smiled at her warmly. "My name is Marinnas. I'm an angel. I tried to change Charming's dark heart but things didn't work out." She told her gently. Her brown golden eyes were full of warmth. "I came to see you because your and your husband's hearts are full of pure love for yourselves and more so for others who aren't like you." She said as she glowed brightly. Fiona was unaware of what was going on. She and her family had gone back to the day of the carriage accident. Fiona then saw Marinnas with her. She watched the awful scene play out once more. But something was different. In the other carriage was Charming. Fiona watched as Charming was put in a body bag.

"Let's go now!" Marrinas said as they were back in the swamp once more. "That really didn't happen, did it? It was just a joke?" Fiona asked worriedly. Marinnas shook her head sadly. "No it wasn't a joke. The one I work for said it had to be done to a prince as vile as him!" she said as her eyes glowed. Suddenly Fiona felt drowsy and fell asleep. "Good! Now I can take her to the spirit world where my master and mistress are waiting to be freed!" she said as she vanished. Fiona's body lay limp on the floor but her soul, her entire being was with Marinnas right now.

This was a shock as Shrek came home from hospital. He was very worried about this. But in the spirit world Shrek's parents were watching this. "Soon we'll be free and teach our son a little lesson in the ways of pain!" his father Naska said evilly. Marinnas then arrived with Fiona under her sleep spell. "Is she asleep?" he asked her roughly. "Yes master. Time to leave this world!" she said to them. "Yes it is! Once the spell is complete, our son's bride is this world's prisoner unless… he takes her place!" he said to his wife Neasa. She smiled wickedly as they began chanting. Suddenly a haze of fire surrounded them and Fiona. Then everything went dark. They found themselves in the realm of the living once more.


	7. The strength of a family

Different part seven.

Fiona was very afraid. She'd woken up to find herself in another world and that she was see through. "What happened to me?" she asked scared. Meanwhile Shrek was trying to figure out what had happened her that her body was still there. He hadn't told Brianna and Thornas this because he didn't want to scare them.

He was unaware that his parents were alive once more and were out for his blood and his family's. He then heard a knock on the door. Thornas opened it. Shrek gasped in fear as the people let themselves in. "What're you doing here? I thought you two died long ago after abandoning me!" he yelled angrily. Naska smiled at this evilly, his fangs showing in his mouth. "Do you know where your bride is?" he asked silently , the words coming off sharply. "What've you done to her?" Shrek yelled. Nesta laughed at this. "Let's just say an angel took her to the spirit world." She said raspily. Anger flowed through his body at this. "Bring her back now or I'll…" he said his voice trailing.

"Don't get so angry! She can come back but you've got to get her!" she said laughing. Shrek felt nervous but he had to do this. Fiona needed him just as he needed her. Without her, their family would perish. "Alright I'll play along! Just tell me how to get to the spirit world!" he said to them. As soon as he said that, the room went dark. Meanwhile Fiona was walking through a dark forest. There was sounds of moaning and despair echoing through it. This made her sad. She wanted to go home but didn't know how. Tears ran down her face and became hornets.

"Please let me return home to my family and my True Love. I was tricked here by an angel of darkness but I don't belong here!" she said through her tears. But in the fog she saw a pair of red eyes fixed on her. She prepared to attack but a vibe of goodness was stopping her. "I won't hurt you! I just want to help you get home Fiona!" it said. "How do you know my name?" she asked worriedly. A figure then came out from the shadows. She gasped in shock. It was her human self. "Because I am… was you! I was meant to be your beautiful self but once the spell got broken, I was sent here!" she told her. Fiona then calmed down at this. She then touched her face. "But what're you doing here?" she asked it.

"I'm really your ugliness personified. I was what you'd become if the spell wasn't broken or if True Love hadn't blossomed between you and Shrek. But once the true beauty was released and the curse rid of, I was no longer needed so one night an angel came and brought me here. But your family's in grave danger!" she told her calmly. "What danger?" Fiona asked it nervously. "Your husband's parents who were once dead and lived here, they revived themselves and are seeking vengeance on their son and possibly your family." She told her. "What can we do?" Fiona asked her."

"We've got to revive ourselves and unite the power of the heart of the family. Only that can make them leave the living world and return here without a fight!" she explained carefully. "What do you mean by the heart of the family?" Fiona asked her curiously. "It's the thing that keeps a family alive. All the love and care you, your husband and your children put into it makes it stronger. But you and your True Love are the two most important pieces of the heart." She explained. Fiona smiled at that. Suddenly she saw Shrek wake up in the forest beside them. He was worried as he woke up in this strange realm. Fiona then ran over to him. "Are you alright?" he asked. "Yes I'm fine but we've got to get back right away! Who knows what they could be doing to our kids?" she told him furiously. "How do we get out of here?" Fiona asked her silently. "Close your eyes and hold hands and focus on going home. Hopefully the power of your Love can do this!" it told her.

Fiona nodded as she and Shrek held hands and closed their eyes. Suddenly a haze of light surrounded them. They then vanished from sight. Meanwhile Brianna and Thornas were hiding. They were afraid of these two strangers and wanted their parents to come back quick. Suddenly a bright light erupted from the bedroom. "What was that?" Naska asked as he checked it out. He was shocked to see his son and Fiona standing there. "How did you get back? Our plan was for the both of you to stay in the spirit world forever where you belong!" he yelled. He then saw Thornas and grabbed him by his neck. "Leave them out of this! This is between me, Mom and you!" Shrek yelled at him. Suddenly a haze of pink magic shone around his body. Fiona then smiled at this. "I've got an idea! Let's use the power of the heart of the family!" she told him. "But we need the entire family to summon it!" Shrek told her. Thornas's body then glowed the same aura and Naska dropped him. Brianna then ran over to them.

"Daddy and I need your help to make these ghastly people go back to where they came from but to do it, you've got to close your eyes and hold hands!" she told them. They did the same as their parents. Suddenly the aura grew stronger and became a giant glowing heart. Rays of magic shot out of it and hit both Naska and Nesta. They shrieked as they vanished, never to be seen again. The family then opened their eyes. The glowing heart then vanished from sight. "It worked! They won't be coming back!" Fiona said. But someone else had been brought back to life. It was Charming. He'd awoken back on the mountain. He was full of anger. "They're going to pay for what they did to me! First they kill my mother, have wretched offspring and exile me from my family! They'll pay!" he screamed as he walked down the mountain and into the kingdom. Lightning filled the sky.


	8. Going to a party

Different part eight 

It was summer and Shrek and Fiona were looking for two people important to them. Their six-year-old daughter Brianna and their four-year-old son Thornas. They saw them playing in the forest with Donkey's kids. "Should I get them or you?" Shrek asked Fiona. "I'll do it. You need to get ready as well as the kids." She said as she went after the kids. She found them playing Tag. "Hi Mommy! How come you're here?" Brianna asked her curiously. Thornas smiled at this as they waited for her to rejoin them. Did you guys forget something? We're going to a party in Far,Far Away held by your grand parents! We've got to go now!" she said gently to them. "Do we gotta go? Can't we stay and play?" both Thornas and Brianna said to her. She laughed at this.

"Yes we've gotta go. Besides if your father and I left you here, something bad would happen to you like hunters capturing you and hurting you!" she explained to them. "Okay we're coming!" Brianna said as Thornas made a face. "Bye guys! We've gotta go!" they said as they walked back home with Fiona. When they got inside the house, Shrek was dressed in the regal clothes that royalty wore in Far, Far Away. He was wearing a fake mole on his face. He was wearing a black jacket with a frilled up white shirt, black trousers and shoes that went with the ensemble. He looked like a French monarch. He didn't want to wear these clothes because they restricted his movement especially if he wanted to scratch his rear end. The last time he wore these, he'd had to ask one of Harold's servants to do it and it didn't go well. Fiona then came out in her regal gear. She was wearing a pink dress with a corset and frills. She was also wearing a wig but it squished down her ears. She was wearing pink shoes that went with it. Brianna was wearing a dark blue dress with sequins and shoes that matched. She was wearing a diamond studded tiara on her head. Thornas was wearing a brown tunic, brown shoes and a brown belt. He had a crown on his head. Fiona smiled at this. "Fiona honey can we go without wearing these clothes?

I'm probably going to need to scratch my butt and I'm not asking any of your Dad's servants to help like last time! Also this wig is making my ears cramp!" he said to her. Thornas and Brianna stared at their Daddy for a minute and held in the urge to laugh. "How come Daddy and you look funny?" Thornas asked her simply. Shrek then chuckled a little. Fiona rolled her eyes at this. "Honey you know we can't simply turn up at a ball in casual clothes! It's regal protocol to wear these! I know they hurt but it's only for one night! Could you please do this for me?" Fiona said to him. He was about to object but saw the look on her face and stopped. "Alright I'll wear them! But just for the ball! Does that make you happy?" he told her. Fiona then smiled at him and kissed him on the lips. The kids giggled at this. "Thanks honey! It means a lot to me. We'd better go now if we're to get to Far,Far Away before dawn!" she told him. The family went out the door. The onion carriage pulled up. Fiona then got in followed by Brianna and Thornas. Shrek was the last one to get in. The door closed and they set off on another adventure!

Shrek couldn't sleep. He was thinking about the last time they'd went to Far,Far Away and how it was nearly a disaster. He was also worried in case the rest of Harold and Lillian's family were mean to his family especially his kids. He also couldn't sleep because the clothes he was wearing made him itch. He looked out at the lands and fields they passed. It was dawn when they entered Far,Far Away. Fiona and the kids had woken up but Shrek had fallen asleep. Fiona decided not to wake him because she knew he got cranky when woken up early so she decided to let him sleep. "How come Daddy went to sleep now?" Brianna asked Fiona curiously. She smiled at that. "He must've been up thinking about things or just couldn't sleep! Let's not wake him!" she told her and Thornas quietly. Meanwhile in the castle Harold had just fallen asleep now too. Lillian was up already getting ready for the ball and greet her daughter. She knew Harold was nervous about the ball considering he was a frog again. Lillian then sat in the royal gardens near the pond. She was thinking quietly to herself. It'd been a long time since Fiona last came to Far,Far Away with Shrek but this time they were bringing their kids with them. She smiled at this. "I hope nothing goes wrong at this ball like last time! At least the Fairy Godmother and her spoiled, prissy son aren't here to ruin things! I hope they enjoy this little shindig." She thought to herself. She then heard carriage wheels pull up near the castle's front door. "They're here!" she said excitedly. She ran out of the front door just in time. Fiona stepped out of the carriage with Thornas and Brianna. "Where's Shrek?" she asked her curiously. A small smile was on Thornas's face. "Daddy'sasleep in the carriage!" he said happily. Lilian then hugged them gently. Brianna had Fiona's lips, her blue eyes. Her body shape. Thornas was the same as Shrek with his brown eyes, his body shape. "Where's Dad?" Fiona asked her curiously.

"He's asleep like your husband! I daren't wake him up. You know what men are like when they're woken up early!" she told her. She understood as footmen dragged her husband's sleeping form out of the carriage and to the suite that would be theirs for the next couple of days. She couldn't help laughing as they did this. "I'm really sorry about that!" she told her mother. "It's quite alright honey. I'm glad you're here with us." She told her happily. Fiona was nervous about the ball. She knew that the denizens of the kingdom would be there along with the other princesses and their families. She hoped they wouldn't be weird to her, Shrek or their children. She then followed them to the suite that was theirs for the next couple of days.

Later on in the dining room Harold joined everybody for breakfast. He was glad that Fiona and her family had made it safely. He was eating eggs, sausages and bacon slowly. Everyone else was eating pancakes. Thornas and Brianna were looking at him strangely. "How come Grandpa's a frog? Did he do something bad and got punished for it?" they asked Lillian simply. She smiled at this but Harold looked nervous. "That's what your Grandpa looked like originally but he made a deal with a mean Fairy Godmother but when we destroyed her, the spell got broken and he turned back into this." A voice said as someone walked into the room. It was Shrek. He'd been awoken by the smell of cooking. He'd decided to have some breakfast. Brianna then ran into his arms. "Hi Daddy! Want some breakfast?" she said to him. "Aye I do honey." He said as he sat down at the table near Fiona. He kissed her on the lips. "Hi honey! Did you sleep good?" she said to him. "I slept good! Can I have some eggs fried not scrambled with weed rats, pancakes with mud on the side?" he said to her. Thornas laughed at him. Lillian watched as he went into the kitchen. Fiona saw the look on his face and smiled. "Where's he going? Doesn't he know that we've got servants to do the cooking?" she asked her. Fiona then sipped coffee from a goblet before answering. "He knows that but prefers to cook himself. He doesn't want others to cook for him just because we're in a royal setting!" she said to her. Harold nodded as he ate some flies. He then smelt something good coming from the kitchen but it wasn't ready yet. Lillian then walked into the kitchen to see what her son in law was up to. The cooks had hidden because of this.

She saw eggs in a frying pan sizzling. She saw her son in law using a BBQ grill. There was weed rat stew cooking on it. He'd put 500 gallons of mud in another pan beside the one with the pancakes in it melting so it would be hot mud on the pancakes. "Hey Mom! What's up?" he asked her. "Nothing. I just came in to see what you were up to. Something smells good!" she told him. She smiled at his clothing. He had a chef's hat on and was wearing an apron over his regal shirt. "Kiss the ogre chef!" it said on it. She then went into the dining room laughing. "What's so funny?" Fiona asked her curiously. "Your husband's a wonderful chef! I didn't know he likes to BBQ things on a grill!" she said to her. Suddenly he came in with a tray full of dishes. He then put his plate onto the table near Fiona. She had some of it as well. They then began to eat. Lillian couldn't believe how good it was. After finishing it, Shrek belched loudly along with Fiona and the kids. "Better out than in, I always say!" he told them. He remembered Harold and Lillian were still there and stopped laughing. "Sorry about that! That always happens when I have a good meal or two!" he told them. "It's alright son, we know you can't help it but do it more often!" Harold told him. Shrek smiled at this as they left the dining room. He and Fiona then decided to go into Far,Far Away but the kids stayed behind.

Lillian saw them playing and felt sorry but suddenly they heard a loud something enter and land in the gardens. It was Brianna and Thornas's best friends considering they weren't ogres. They ran over to them and started playing Tag.


	9. A choice must be made!

Different part nine 

Shrek wondered how the Dronkeys had followed them here. He hoped Donkey wasn't with them. Fiona watched as they played happily in the gardens. "Can't we go anywhere without Donkey or his family following us?" he asked Fiona. She rubbed his back gently to calm him down. "I know but it's the first time the kids have smiled since we got here! Besides once Donkey and Dragon realise their kids are here, they'll come get them." She told him calmly. He then went into the bedroom for a nap before getting ready for the ball. Fiona noticed how tired he was but every time she talked about it, he changed the subject.

The reason he was so tired was because of bad dreams and couldn't sleep. He hoped he'd be able to sleep. He then kicked off his shoes and lay on his side on the bed. "I can't believe Fi knows about the sleep problem!" he thought as he yawned. He then fell asleep. He was beginning to dream but it was a nightmare. It began in the swamp and Fiona and him were cooling off in the mud. Suddenly everything went dark. "Fiona where are you?" he called out into the darkness but there was no reply. The darkness then gave way to a tower but Fiona wasn't there. This filled him with fear. A winged person then laughed as everything went bright. "Where's Fiona?" he asked it. But he was standing in a graveyard beside a grave. It was Fiona's. He recoiled in terror. "What happened to her?" he asked through tears.

The being laughed at his pain. "This happened because a terrible spell made her ill because someone wouldn't let my friend's son rule! Their defiance made the spell worse and she died out of kindess!" he said. Shrek was shaking from this. "Who was it that made the spell worse?" he asked nervously. "It was her father and you!" it answered cruelly. Thunder then struck the sky at this. "That's not true! Harold and I would never do something like that!" he told it. He sank to his knees in pain. "It looks like you're alone… alone again!" the being echoed as it faded. Shrek then screamed in anguish.

Fiona heard this from the next room and ran in to see what was wrong. She then began to sing. That always calmed her husband down when he got freaked like that. He woke up crying softly. She saw fear in his eyes and hugged him gently. "It's okay honey! You must've had a really bad dream like the others." She said to him gently. He tensed up as he heard that. "How do you know that?" he asked her. "I figured it out a while ago the last time it happened. Let me guess, the dream was about something bad happening to me?" she told him softly. "I don't want to talk about it anymore, okay?" he told her. "Okay I won't talk about it anymore but just know I'm here if you want to talk." She told him as she left the room. He then went to have a shower to cool off and forget about what happened. He sighed happily as the cold water washed over his body. He hoped that the dreams would stop.

But in a room in the castle, a darkened stranger with wings was watching him through a mirror. "He wants the bad dreams to stop eh? Then he must pay the price!" he told himself as he opened a book.

Fiona was very worried for her husband at the minute. She'd tried asking him about it but he refused to open up. She was unaware of the stranger in the castle. He was a demon sent to torture Shrek into giving him the kingdom. His name was Procastus He was the one sending him terrible dreams. He'd found a book in the library that he needed to carry out his plan. He then created a spell similar to the one he'd cast on Fiona in Shrek's latest bad dream. He laughed at this as he became invisible. Meanwhile Lillian was in the ball room preparing for the ball. Harold was playing poker with Shrek. Fiona laughed as her father lost again. "How're you so good at this?" he asked him.

"A certain assassin taught me!" he told Harold. Suddenly Fiona saw a black mist appear on the wall. It then dropped to the floor and became a winged demon. "Fiona get away from him!" Shrek yelled angrily. Procastus cackled evilly at this. "Don't worry! It's not her I'm after!" he said as he threw a spell at him. He then fell to the floor in pain. Fiona ran over to him. "What did you do to him?" she asked angrily. Tears were in her eyes. He laughed at this. "The spell I cast on him has made him very ill! But there's a way you can save him by giving my friends's son the throne! If you refuse , the spell will get intense and the illness will kill him just like with you in his dream!" he told her as he vanished. Harold growled angrily. Fiona then felt her True Love's forehead. There was a fever on him and he was shaking.

His skin was very pale and was coughing. Fiona couldn't contain her sadness any longer. "I can't let him go! I'm not letting that demonic friends's son rule over the kingdom!" she said angrily. Lillian then put a body warmer over her son in law. She watched as footmen carried Fiona's husband to their room. Procastus laughed at her pain and misery. Fiona then came into the room and sat down beside him gently. He was in bed. His eyes opened slowly. "Hey honey. How're you feeling?" she asked him. He saw tears in her eyes as he touched her cheek. "Fi do as that creepy demon says! If the spell gets worse , there's no cure. I remember that from my dream when it happened to you." He said wearily as he fell asleep. Fiona had a decision to make. The kingdom or her husband's life.


	10. Fiona's decision

Different part ten 

Fiona was standing in the gardens. It was raining heavily but she didn't care. She liked the way it washed away her worries when she was younger but now she had a reason to revel in it once more. She felt saddened inside because some strange demonic creature had shown up and cursed her husband with an incurable illness.

She felt like it was her fault that it happened. Lillian watched as her daughter stood in the rain with her eyes closed, her ears drooping sadly. She entered the gardens listening to Fiona talking about her decision she had to make because of Procastus. Tears ran down her face as she thought about it deeply. "Are you okay?" she asked her. Fiona whirled around at this. She was surprised to see her mother standing before her. "Not really Mom. I feel like it's my fault thjat demon made Shrek ill! I never should've brought him or the kids here. I can't think straight! That freaky demon said I had to choose between the kingdom and my husband and I'm confused. I can't lose the one I love and put the kingdom in bad hands for you and Dad! I can't decide!" she told her worriedly. Lillian understood and smiled warmly.

"Don't worry honey! The kingdom's doing fine. But I can feel in your heart of hearts that your husband means so much more to you than it seems but your judgement is clouded at the minute but I know you'll do what's right for you, I just know." She said to Fiona. She then went back into the castle. Fiona then looked at the night sky and the stars were coming out. She smiled sadly at that. Lillian then went into the suite Fiona and her family were staying in. She saw Shrek lying in bed in immense amounts of pain and it hurt her to watch. "Please let him live for Fiona's sake! He's the only thing more important to her than the kingdom." She said softly as she left the room. She then went to her and Harold's room. Suddenly Fiona came in silently. "Mom I need to talk to you! But not here! I don't want Dad to hear." She said quietly. She then went into the gardens and Lillian followed her. "I've been thinking and I've came to a decision and I hope you can be happy for me!" she told her.

"What've you decided?" Lillian asked curiously. "I decided to choose… my husband! When I was out here thinking, memories came flooding into my mind, memories of the time my True Love and I spent together made me feel happy but then I thought about if I hadn't chosen my husband , I would be very sad and it will feel like a part of me had died." She said to her. Lillian smiled. "I'm glad about your decision because your husband's in very bad pain right now and besides your father and I can take care of the kingdom along with your father no matter what happens." She said to her as they walked back into the castle. She hoped the demon would reverse what he'd done now that his friends's son could rule even though her daughter was almost hurt by it. Fiona then walked into the room and slipped into bed. Shrek opened his eyes. "Hey honey where did you go off to?" he said to her. She smiled at this. "I decided not to help the kingdom but keep you with me." She told him softly as they hugged. They fell asleep in each other's arms. Procastus was watching this. "How sweet! But it'll be more sweeter to watch him suffer as revenge for what happened to me!" he said as he glowed. He then recited a few words as he watched the sleeping couple. Suddenly Shrek groaned in pain as something hit him in the chest. Fiona woke up at this. She saw tears in his eyes as he fell onto the floor.


End file.
